TechRadar News

• Oracle had started sending out data breach notification letters
• In the letters, it downplays the significance of recent attacks
• However not everyone agrees with that assessment

We now apparently have confirmation that Oracle has been notifying its customers about a recent data breach - but the company is still standing its ground and saying it was an irrelevant attack that will make no difference whatsoever.

In early April 2025, a threat actor with the alias “rose87168” opened a new thread on an underground forum to advertise the sale of a database stolen from the company. The database allegedly contained six million records, including private security keys, encrypted credentials, and LDAP entries, all belonging to Oracle customers.

To confirm the authenticity of the information, the hacker even uploaded a new document to the cloud, containing their own email address.

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Oracle denies severity

Oracle first denied, and later confirmed the breach, but said it was a pointless attack since the servers were old and unused, and the data contained within was outdated.

Now, BleepingComputer reports that email notification letters started going out: "Oracle would like to state unequivocally that the Oracle Cloud—also known as Oracle Cloud Infrastructure or OCI—has NOT experienced a security breach," the letter allegedly reads.

"No OCI customer environment has been penetrated. No OCI customer data has been viewed or stolen. No OCI service has been interrupted or compromised in any way," it added in emails sent from replies@oracle-mail.com, prompting customers to contact Oracle Support or their account manager if they have additional questions.

"A hacker did access and publish user names from two obsolete servers that were never a part of OCI. The hacker did not expose usable passwords because the passwords on those two servers were either encrypted and/or hashed. Therefore the hacker was not able to access any customer environments or customer data."

A report from The Register claims the data belonging to one of the victims was created in 2024. The investigation is currently ongoing but so far it seems that the attacker exploited a vulnerability in Oracle Access Manager to breach Oracle-hosted servers.

Cybersecurity experts CrowdStrike are currently analyzing the incident. The FBI was also notified about the attack, Oracle has confirmed.

Via BleepingComputer

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• The OnePlus Watch 3 now costs $499.99 in the US
• It was originally set to cost just $329.99
• The 'Meda in China' watch is likely just the first of many tech price hikes

While the US government’s stance on import tariffs has softened for many regions (at least at the time of writing) it’s still full steam ahead with major import duty being imposed on China-made goods. Which is perhaps why the new OnePlus Watch 3 costs $499.99 – $170 more than the $329.99 price tag that had previously been revealed for the smart watch.

OnePlus has yet to confirm if the price hike is tariff-related, but we do know that goods coming from China to the US are currently facing a 145% tariff. That amount has only been increasing, as China and the US seem locked into a trade war neither wants to back down from.

We know it’s made in China after a now-infamous typo on its back, which declared the smart watch is “Meda in China.” This actually caused the watch’s full release to be delayed until now – perhaps inadvertently leading to this price hike as in that time major new tariffs were introduced.

(Image credit: Future)

What’s more, while the device has had a price hike in the US, in other countries that’s not the case. For example in the UK store it still costs just £319.99, suggesting that this cost increase is indeed a US tariff issue.

A sign of what’s to come

Unless the US Government’s stance on tariffs changes sometime soon, you can expect prices to go up for your other favorite gadgets. While smaller import duties could maybe have been eaten up by brands looking to stay competitive in the US market, 154% hikes are impossible to ignore and they will be passed to consumers.

You simply can’t keep prices the same if products that previously cost, say, $100 to manufacture in China now at a minimum have to be sold in the US for $254 – and that's before you account for any kind of profit margin.

It’ll be especially frustrating for people looking to pick up more budget-friendly tech like the OnePlus Watch 3. You'll feel the squeeze of tech costing a few hundred bucks extra more than folks who were already happy to splash a lot of cash on high-end gadgets.

(Image credit: Future / Cas Kulk)

I wish we could offer some sound advice on what you should do to try and fend off price hikes, but apart from rushing to buy before you start to feel their sting, or hoping they go away again, there’s not a lot you can do. And it doesn’t help that the US government’s stance on tariffs seems to change every day – making predictions of what’ll happen next near-impossible.

Our best advice is for you to be prepared to make your existing tech last longer – or to buy secondhand or refurbished tech that won’t be subject to import duty because it’s already in the US. Because for the foreseeable future new tech is going to feel even more like a luxury than it did before.

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In today’s fast-paced business world, organizations rely heavily on SaaS (Software as a Service) applications to drive efficiency, reduce costs and foster innovation. However, with this growing dependence on software comes the complex task of effectively managing SaaS contracts. Without robust contract management practices, organizations risk inefficiencies, hidden costs, non-compliance and missed opportunities to optimize their software spend.

For IT leaders, mastering SaaS contract management is a strategic necessity. Giulio D’Ali, Senior Vice President of SaaS Management from Technology and SaaS management solutions provider Calero shares five strategies to streamline SaaS contract management, reduce risks and enhance financial control.

1. Centralize SaaS contract management for greater visibility

One of the key challenges in SaaS management is the decentralization of contracts across various departments. Without a single view of all contracts, it becomes increasingly difficult to track renewal dates, service level agreements (SLAs) and vendor performance. This lack of oversight can lead to costly mistakes, such as missing renewal deadlines or overpaying for unused licenses.

Centralizing SaaS contract management through a dedicated platform helps organizations consolidate all contract data into one system. This centralized system provides comprehensive visibility into contract terms, pricing, renewal dates and vendor performance. For IT leaders, having this centralized view is crucial for aligning software expenditures with business goals. By understanding how each contract supports or hinders organizational objectives, you can make more informed decisions, mitigate compliance risks and negotiate better terms with vendors.

2. Automate renewals to avoid unnecessary costs and downtime

Managing renewals is one of the most time-consuming and error-prone aspects of SaaS contract management. Without automation, it’s easy for IT teams to miss renewal deadlines or to renew contracts without fully assessing the vendor’s performance. These oversights can lead to unexpected costs, service interruptions, or worse - being locked into unfavorable terms without the chance to renegotiate.

Automating the renewal process is one of the most effective ways to streamline SaaS contract management. By setting up automated reminders and alerts for upcoming renewals, organizations can ensure that they never miss a critical deadline. In addition to avoiding auto-renewals at high rates, automated renewals provide an opportunity for IT teams to assess the software’s value. This proactive approach allows businesses to negotiate better terms, eliminate underutilized licenses and reallocate resources to more strategic areas, ultimately maximizing ROI from SaaS investments.

3. Integrate SaaS management with procurement for seamless workflow

While SaaS management typically falls under the IT department, its impact stretches far beyond IT, touching procurement, finance and other areas of the business. The key to efficient SaaS contract management lies in ensuring that all departments are aligned and working off the same set of data.

Integrating SaaS management with procurement workflows allows organizations to align software purchasing with broader financial and operational strategies. This integration makes it easier for procurement teams to compare vendor offerings, track spending and ensure that purchasing decisions adhere to corporate policies. By automating and streamlining the contract management process, procurement and IT teams can work collaboratively to negotiate better deals, identify cost-saving opportunities and prevent unnecessary spending on duplicate or unused software subscriptions.

For IT leaders, this collaboration with procurement not only improves financial oversight but also reduces the risk of SaaS sprawl - where software subscriptions proliferate without oversight - leading to wasted resources and unnecessary complexity.

4. Ensure compliance and mitigate risk with proactive monitoring

As SaaS applications continue to play a critical role in business operations, compliance with industry regulations and internal policies is non-negotiable. Whether it’s adhering to data privacy laws like GDPR or ensuring that SaaS vendors meet specific security standards, managing compliance manually is no longer feasible.

SaaS management platforms equipped with compliance tracking capabilities allow IT leaders to monitor vendor performance against established security protocols and compliance frameworks. With real-time alerts and automated audits, organizations can proactively manage risks and ensure that vendors are meeting their contractual obligations. By integrating compliance monitoring directly into the contract management process, businesses can reduce the likelihood of regulatory violations, data breaches, or costly fines.

Furthermore, SaaS management platforms can help IT teams keep track of data protection and security certifications, providing peace of mind that all vendors are compliant with the necessary standards and minimizing potential risks to the business.

5. Gain financial control and improve forecasting accuracy

Managing SaaS contracts isn’t just about monitoring performance and compliance, it’s also about gaining financial control. With so many subscription-based services, it’s easy for costs to spiral out of control, especially if there’s a lack of visibility into overall usage and spending.

Streamlining SaaS contract management provides organizations with granular financial insights, enabling IT teams and CFOs to better forecast costs, optimize spending and eliminate waste. By consolidating all contract data, including license usage, spend history and renewal terms, businesses can gain a clearer picture of their software investments. This visibility allows for more accurate financial planning and better control over SaaS-related expenses.

Additionally, with better insights into software usage, organizations can prevent SaaS sprawl by identifying and eliminating underused or redundant subscriptions. This level of financial oversight helps organizations avoid unnecessary costs and keep SaaS expenses aligned with actual demand, improving overall budget predictability.

In an age of digital evolution, SaaS contract management is no longer a back-office task. For CIOs, CTOs, SAMs and other IT leaders, it’s a strategic lever for optimizing software investments, ensuring compliance and driving cost efficiency. By centralizing contract data, automating renewals, fostering collaboration between IT and procurement and utilizing compliance and financial insights, organizations can unlock the full value of their SaaS applications while avoiding the risks associated with poor contract management.

By adopting these five best practices, businesses can streamline their SaaS contract management process and stay agile, competitive and financially efficient in an increasingly complex digital landscape.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

The quantum revolution is no longer a distant dream; it is an approaching reality. With Amazon and Microsoft recently solidifying their positions in the quantum race, the conversation around quantum computing is moving from theoretical to practical. While we are still several years away from "Q Day" – the moment when quantum computers break today’s encryption standards – the leap from niche research to mainstream awareness can happen in an instant. If generative AI tools like ChatGPT are any indication, when quantum computing truly takes off, it will do so at an unprecedented speed.

For businesses, this presents both an opportunity and a challenge. The opportunity lies in leveraging quantum computing for unprecedented computational power, problem-solving, and innovation. The challenge, however, is that quantum computing will render current cryptographic protections obsolete, posing significant cybersecurity risks. Organizations that fail to prepare for post-quantum cryptography (PQC) could find themselves vulnerable in a post-quantum world.

Investing in innovation: A national and industry-wide commitment

Encouragingly, governments and businesses alike are acknowledging the potential and risks of quantum computing. The UK government has pledged £2.5 billion over the next decade to support quantum research and development, reinforcing the importance of staying ahead in this field. This investment has spurred businesses across the technology sector to accelerate their own quantum readiness plans, adopting new standards and preparing for a post-quantum future.

However, this is not a concern exclusive to the tech giants that have been investing in quantum computing for years. While companies like Google, IBM, and Apple have led the charge, smaller businesses must now prioritize quantum preparedness as well. Apple’s recent introduction of PQ3, a post-quantum cryptographic protocol for secure messaging, highlights how quantum security is becoming an industry-wide focus.

The underdogs must prepare: no company is immune

For smaller organizations, the transition to a quantum-secure future can feel overwhelming. Unlike major tech firms with dedicated research teams and vast budgets, smaller enterprises may struggle to dedicate resources to quantum readiness. Yet, these companies cannot afford to delay preparations.

Quantum computing threatens not just national security or financial institutions but any business that relies on cryptography – which is to say, nearly every company operating in a digital world. Sensitive customer data, financial transactions, intellectual property, and corporate communications all depend on encryption. If that encryption is suddenly compromised, the consequences could be catastrophic.

This is why businesses of all sizes must take stock of their vulnerabilities today. Assessing cryptographic dependencies, mapping out which systems rely on outdated encryption, and planning for a transition to PQC should be on every company’s roadmap. Cybersecurity leaders must work alongside technology providers to identify the best path towards quantum resilience before it becomes an urgent necessity.

The road to "Q day": A five-year countdown

While we may be at least five years away from "Q Day”, the timeline for quantum computing’s impact on security could accelerate unexpectedly. As advancements in quantum research continue, the ability to break conventional encryption algorithms could arrive sooner than anticipated. Organizations that set out a comprehensive quantum strategy today will be best positioned to weather the transition when the time comes.

Already, the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has issued guidance on preparing for PQC, emphasizing that companies must act now rather than later. The shift to PQC won’t be as simple as flipping a switch; it requires careful planning, testing, and industry-wide coordination.

Businesses that embrace the transition early will have a competitive advantage, securing their data and maintaining customer trust while others scramble to catch up. Meanwhile, those that delay could find themselves facing increased regulatory scrutiny and reputational damage when quantum threats become a reality.

A call to action: prepare now, stay secure later

The era of quantum computing is coming faster than many realize, and its impact on cybersecurity will be profound. As we saw with AI, technological advancements can transition from the lab to everyday use at lightning speed. Companies that recognize the urgency of post-quantum cybersecurity today will be best equipped to navigate the future.

Governments and large corporations have already begun laying the groundwork, but this is not just an issue for the biggest players. Businesses of all sizes must take the quantum threat seriously and begin their transition towards quantum-secure encryption now. The call to action is clear: invest in post-quantum cryptography, assess security vulnerabilities, and develop a strategy for the quantum age. Waiting until "Q Day" arrives is not an option – because by then, it will be too late.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Another weekend has arrived – and, if you're a TV aficionado, you've got lots of new content to watch.

Indeed, this week's streaming list is full of top tier TV suggestions, with no fewer than four (!) excellent shows making their long-awaited returns on some of the world's best streaming services. If you're after some new movies to watch at home this weekend, though, you'll just have to make do with the latest Amazon Movie Original.

But that's enough of a preamble. Read on to find out what's worth watching over the next few days. – Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter

The Last of Us season 2 (Max/Sky)

One of the best Max shows, not to mention the most-watched HBO TV Original in years, is back on our screens this weekend. After a two-year-plus hiatus, The Last of Us TV show is ready to rip out our hearts once more with its second season.

I could tell you more about The Last of Us' sophomore season, but that would ruin its biggest surprises (well, if you haven't played its video game namesake). If you want some spoiler-free/spoiler-light details, my hub about The Last of Us season 2 is your one-stop shop for said information. Want to learn more about who's joining Ellie and Joel this time around? My season 2 cast and character guide is also worth a read.

Season 2 premieres in the US this Sunday (April 13). UK and Australian viewers can check it out on Monday (April 14). As for where you can stream it, US and Australian audiences will need to boot up Max, while UK patrons will need to sign into Sky Atlantic. – TP

• Watch The Last of Us season 2 on Max (US and Australia) and Sky Atlantic (UK)

Black Mirror season 7 (Netflix)

Black Mirror season 7 has arrived on Netflix and I'm excited to see people's responses to this one. Anthology shows can be a real mixed bag and this one is no exception – take a look at my Black Mirror season 7 episodes ranked piece to see why.

It's definitely an intriguing entry into the program's growing dystopian library. Indeed, season 7 is home to Black Mirror's first-ever episodic sequel, which is a route I never thought it would go down. On top of that, there's a Bandersnatch spin-off for fans of the interactive movie to enjoy.

Despite its hit-and-miss seasonal nature, you can't ignore the impact Black Mirror continues to have. Definitely one that deserves its spot on our best Netflix shows round up. – Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer

• Watch Black Mirror season 7 on Netflix

Doctor Who season 2 (Disney+/BBC One)

Searching for more family-friendly sci-fi? Doctor Who is the program for you. The British institution returns for its second season (that's season 15, for those of you who've been watching since its 2005 reboot) on Disney+ internationally and BBC One/BBC iPlayer in the UK.

This time, Ncuti Gatwa's 15th Doctor is joined by Varada Sethu's Belinda 'Bel' Chandra for more wibbly wobbly timey-wimey adventures across all of time and space. To see if one of the best Disney+ shows' latest premiere is worth watching, check out my Doctor Who season 2 episode 1 review. – TP

• Watch Doctor Who season 2 on Disney+ (internationally) and BBC One/BBC iPlayer (UK)

G20 (Prime Video)

Is there anything Viola Davis can't do? Whether she's teaching people how to get away with murder in, well, How to get Away with Murder, or enjoying some comic book action in The Suicide Squad, she's also booked and busy.

This time, she's playing the US president (as she deserves, honestly) in an alternate Prime Video-based reality. So far, G20 has been met with mixed reviews, so it won't be appearing on our best Prime Video movies round up any time soon.

Still, if you're in the mood for an action flick on Amazon's streaming service, there are worse options out there. – LB

• Watch G20 on Prime Video

Hacks season 4 (Max)

Well, aren't Max subscribers spoilt this week? Not only are they The Last of Us season 2, but also the return of HBO's Emmy award-winning comedy drama Hacks.

The show's fourth season sees Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder reprise their roles as Deborah Vance and Ava in a tense new installment that'll pick up right where season 3 ended. Indeed, we last saw the duo set up their late night show and this new season will see them try to get it off the ground.

The first two episodes are out now, but there'll be another eight in the weeks ahead. As one of the most-anticipated shows coming to Max in April, I don't doubt that this will an instant hit with fans. – Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor

• Watch Hacks season 4 on Max

Your Friends and Neighbors (Apple TV+)

Trust Apple to be the one that tempts Jon Hamm back into a leading role on the small screen. Since retiring Don Draper in Mad Men, we haven't seen Hamm appear in another show, but that's changed with the debut on Your Friends & Neighbors arrive on Apple TV+.

The comedy-drama sees Hamm play a divorced and broke hedge fund manager who resorts to stealing from his neighbors, but the secrets he uncovers are a lot more dangerous than he could've ever thought. It's not going to end after one season either, because Apple TV+ has already renewed the series, so I'd be surprised if this doesn't land a spot in our best Apple TV+ shows guide. – AS

• Watch Your Friends and Neighbors on Apple TV+

Good American Family (Disney+)

After landing on Hulu earlier this year, Good American Family joins the growing list of Disney+ thrillers, and while it doesn't reach the heights of Paradise, I still enjoyed it.

That'll be a controversial stance, admittedly, due to it 48% Rotten Tomatoes critical score. So, I'm expecting it to be met with some seriously mixed audience reviews when more people have streamed it.

Many people have pointed out it has similar vibes to the (often ridiculous) horror movie Orphan, though, so, if you had a good time with that you might enjoy Good American Family. – LB

• Watch Good American Family on Disney+

For more streaming suggestions, read our guides on the best Netflix movies, best Hulu shows, best Paramount+ movies, and best Prime Video shows.

• US sensor maker Sensata confirms suffering a ransomware attack
• It also confirmed losing sensitive files
• An investigation is currently ongoing

Sensata, a large US sensor maker, suffered a ransomware attack that crippled parts of its operations.

In a new 8-K form filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) earlier this week, Sensata said that it experienced a “ransomware incident that has encrypted certain devices” in its network.

The attack “temporarily impacted” the company’s operations, the filing further states, including shipping, receiving, manufacturing production, and “various other support functions.”

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Hours to attack

Upon spotting the intrusion, the company activated its response protocols, which include taking parts of its network offline, bringing in third-party forensics experts, as well as notifying the relevant authorities. Sensata said it was currently investigating the attack and that it has no timeline on when it might resume operations as normal.

The company also said that it lost some files in the attack, but did not detail which one and what was on them.

“The company is working to identify and review the files involved and will take additional actions as appropriate based on its review, including notifying individuals and regulatory authorities in accordance with applicable law,” it said in the filing.

Sensata also said it didn’t expect the incident to have a material impact on its financial results and operations for the three months ending on June 30 2025, “however, the full scope and impact of this incident is not yet known and could result in a future determination that the incident will be material to the company's financial statements and results of operations.”

At this time, no threat actors have assumed responsibility for the attack, but it may be the case that Sensata’s name pops up on a data leak website, since that is also part of the pressure tactic that hackers use to get the victim to pay the ransom demand.

Via The Register

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Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, April 11 (game #404).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #405) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Get your mind out of the gutter

NYT Strands today (game #405) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• LIDS
• DUNE
• SWORD
• LIFT
• STAND
• DROWSY

NYT Strands today (game #405) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 10 letters

NYT Strands today (game #405) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: bottom, 4th column

Last side: top, 3rd column

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #405) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #405, are…

• GRIMY
• FILTHY
• MUDDY
• POLLUTED
• STAINED
• UNKEMPT
• SPANGRAM: DIRTY WORDS

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 hints

Some of today’s DIRTY WORDS were peculiarly difficult to find. Even with a hint it took me a while to get POLLUTED amid the highlighted letters. Tricky as it can be, this is the joy of Strands. The twists and turns set it apart from a humdrum wordsearch.

Sadly, FILTHY reminded me of the terrible song by everyone’s second favorite member of N-Sync, Justin Timberlake, in which he implores the object of his affections to “put your filthy hands on me” and, if memory serves, cook up some meat. It’s all very unpleasant.

Say what you like about JT, but he’s always kept himself very tidy and the exact opposite of UNKEMPT — even when his hair looked like a block of noodles. You wouldn’t catch him with STAINED chinos or MUDDY Timberlands.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, 11 April, game #404)

• LINGO
• PYRAMID
• JEOPARDY
• PASSWORD
• CATCHPHRASE
• SPANGRAM: GAME SHOWS

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, April 11 (game #1173).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1174) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1174) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.

Quordle today (game #1174) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1174) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1174) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• B

• O

• C

• T

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1174) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1174, are…

• BLIND
• OVOID
• CACHE
• THING

Wow, did I think I was clever when I got CACHE thanks to switching my start words to include the letter C.

Then I came crashing down to earth on my final word. I convinced myself that the word had to end O-I-D but it was a lengthy process to actually get OVOID – especially as I had no idea what it meant!

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1174) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1174, are…

• TRACT
• HASTY
• SWUNG
• BRAWN

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1173, Friday 11 April: FOLLY, PITHY, SCOWL, CURLY
• Quordle #1172, Thursday 10 April: LEAST, SEWER, UNTIE, NOOSE
• Quordle #1171, Wednesday 9 April: LITHE, LEFTY, KNOLL, MULCH
• Quordle #1170, Tuesday 8 April: WIDTH, VISOR, MEDAL, BROOK
• Quordle #1169, Monday 7 April: BROTH, SHOUT, BRUTE, CABIN
• Quordle #1168, Sunday 6 April: AMBER, GAUZE, STORE, SLICK
• Quordle #1167, Saturday 5 April: GUSTY, VAULT, WHINE, BEGAT
• Quordle #1166, Friday 4 April: OAKEN, LOOPY, CURIO, BUTTE
• Quordle #1165, Thursday 3 April: ASCOT, JETTY, DRUNK, JOLLY
• Quordle #1164, Wednesday 2 April: INDEX, QUEEN, INCUR, STOLE
• Quordle #1163, Tuesday 1 April: HUMUS, BALMY, WORRY, ERECT
• Quordle #1162, Monday 31 March: RECUT, MOODY, WHERE, BRACE
• Quordle #1161, Sunday 30 March: CRIME, DRINK, CLOVE, TRUER
• Quordle #1160, Saturday 29 March: LATER, ODDLY, CUMIN, AGREE
• Quordle #1159, Friday 28 March: TERSE, MUSHY, PROVE, FROND
• Quordle #1158, Thursday 27 March: CRONE, APNEA, LIGHT, AWOKE
• Quordle #1157, Wednesday 26 March: LEFTY, NOOSE, NOISE, TRIAD
• Quordle #1156, Tuesday 25 March: SNEER, WATCH, FLORA, STAIN
• Quordle #1155, Monday 24 March: FLOUT, SMASH, RAZOR, SMALL
• Quordle #1154, Sunday 23 March: ALLEY, GAMUT, GEESE, RADII

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, April 11 (game #670).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #671) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SIN
• SEC
• SUN
• TAN
• FLASH
• BOTS
• FALL
• CAME
• BIT
• BUCK
• KEN
• STRAY
• NET
• JIFF
• ERR
• SPUR

NYT Connections today (game #671) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Brief moments 
• GREEN: Fail
• BLUE: Ballers 
• PURPLE: Add letters to make countries

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #671) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: SHORT PERIOD OF TIME 
• GREEN: DO WRONG 
• BLUE: N.B.A. PLAYER 
• PURPLE: STARTS OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES 

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #671) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #671, are…

• YELLOW: SHORT PERIOD OF TIME BIT, FLASH, JIFF, SEC
• GREEN: DO WRONG ERR, FALL, SIN, STRAY
• BLUE: N.B.A. PLAYER BUCK, NET, SPUR, SUN
• PURPLE: STARTS OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES BOTS, CAME, KEN, TAN

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

I immediately guessed that we were looking for words that meant fractions of something, but I didn’t realise time was the common thread.

That led me to make a mistake looking for a group of things that were slightly off-target, with STRAY instead of JIFF giving me "one away". Then I remembered my grandmother always saying she’d be “down in a jiff” when she was getting ready to go out.

Another phrase, “ERR on the side of caution”, delayed me getting DO WRONG – but with FALL, SIN and STRAY locked in, it was the only other option. As well as being cautious, err also means doing something wrong.

Despite limited US sports knowledge I got the singular NBA PLAYER words easily enough. A good thing, as STARTS OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES was far from my thoughts when I looked at the words remaining.

At a push I’d have guessed BOTS, CAME, KEN and TAN were presenters of a YouTube prank show with 800 subscribers or the IATA codes for Australian airports, but never the start of Botswana, Cameroon, Kenya, and Tanzania.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, 11 April, game #670)

• YELLOW: SOURCES OF VITAMINS CITRUS, LEAFY GREENS, SUNSHINE, SUPPLEMENTS
• GREEN: PLACES USED IN RETAIL SUFFIXES CITY, LAND, TOWN, WORLD
• BLUE: PLACES TO FIND STARS AMERICAN FLAG, GALAXY, RED CARPET, UBER RATING
• PURPLE: WORDS AFTER "GO" ALL OUT, BETWEEN, KART, STEADY

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

• Google is offering the US government a “temporary” 71% discount
• Gemini was the first AI assistant to get FedRAMP High Authorization
• $2 billion in savings, a 99% uptime SLA, interoperability and more are promised

Google has revealed plans to shatter Microsoft’s dominance when it comes to being the main software provider for the US government by introducing significant discounts to become more competitive.

Google Workspace is now being offered to all federal agencies at a huge 71% discount via a government-wide deal, Tony Orlando, GM Specialty Sales for Google Public Sector, confirmed in a blog post.

“Government agencies rely on IT providers to provide secure, compliant, and efficient technology to help complete their vital missions,” Orlando wrote.

Google Workspace now 71% cheaper for US government agencies

Orlando confirmed that “Workspace is a FedRAMP High authorized communication and collaboration platform,” combining popular apps like Drive, Docs and Meet with more modern developments like Gemini AI and enhanced collaboration. Gemini was also the first AI assistant to receive FedRAMP High Authorization.

Google already supports “hundreds of thousands” of workers from across the Department of Energy and the Air Force Research Laboratory with its software, and it hopes to be able to attract more users away from Microsoft’s ecosystem.

The company reckons Federal agencies could save up to $2 billion over three years with government-wide adoption, and although the comparison is not cited, it’s possible that this is a dig to current Microsoft contracts.

The 71% discount across Google Workspace Enterprise Plus and Assured Controls Plus is seen as a temporary discount to coincide with Trump’s desire for the government to be treated as a single buyer through the centralization of IT contracts and purchasing.

Speaking about the benefits of Google Workspace, Orlando noted strong security, a 99% uptime SLA, excellent interoperability, AI-enhanced productivity and new efficiencies.

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• Audeze LCD-S20 are its cheapest planar magnetic headphones
• Closed-back, with SLAM tech for big bass
• Available from May 2025, for £499 / $499 (about AU$1,045)

There are two things I know to be true: planar magnetic headphones sound fantastic, and planar magnetic headphones are often terrifyingly expensive. But the newly announced LCD-S20 headphones from Audeze are a fraction of the price of the same firm's flagship cans, at a mere £499 / $499 / about AU$1,045.

That's still high-priced among the best wired headphones, but these could be excellent: we've reviewed Audeze's planar magnetic gaming headphones, the Audeze LCD-X, and thought they were phenomenal (and heavy, something of an Audeze tradition: these new headphones are 550g).

We said that "The LCD-X goes toe to toe with some of the best dynamic driver headphones on the market without breaking a sweat." So I'm intrigued by the new LCD-S20, which promise similar sonics for considerably less cash.

Audeze's headphones promise serious sound for people with strong necks: they're 550g (Image credit: Audeze) Audeze LCD-S20: key features

The Audeze LCD-S20 headphones are closed-back models, meaning they'll passively block out some outside sound, and they're the first planar headphones to get Audeze's SLAM technology. That's short for Symmetric Linear Acoustic Modulator and we first saw it in the flagship – and nearly $6K / £4.5K – CRBN2 electrostatic headphones last year.

SLAM uses finely tuned acoustic channels to deliver more linear diaphragm movement, and according to Audeze that means significantly improved and more accurate bass as well as better imaging. The promise here is something closer to open-back sonics with closed-back isolation.

The drivers are 90mm and feature a trio of Audaze technologies: Fluxor magnets, Fazor waveguides and Uniforce voice coils that "deliver the accurate, ultra-low distortion sound quality that Audeze is known for."

The chassis is based on the one from the Maxwell headset and features a spring-steel headband, forged aluminum yolks and high-strength glass-infused nylon parts.

The LCD-S20 is the first Audeze headphone with a new magnetic earpad attachment system that enables you to quickly and easily swap or replace the earpads. And the cable is detachable and swappable between left and right to suit your setup.

They're out in May 2025, and we can't wait to compare them to the best over-ear headphones – we love a planar.

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• Wix introduced Astro, a new AI chatbot
• The tool is designed to track and optimize websites, and more
• It is available for English users right now

Wix, one of the best website builders on the market, has just launched a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) business assistant, designed to track and optimize websites, create new content, expand business, and more. The AI tool, called Astro, boasts “hundreds” of different skills and capabilities, with more being added every day.

“Astro seamlessly integrates powerful capabilities into a single interface, making it easier than ever for users to manage their businesses efficiently,” said Guy Sopher, Head of the AI Platform Group at Wix. “With this being the largest collection of skills we’ve ever incorporated into a single assistant at Wix, boasting hundreds of different skills and capabilities, with more added every day, Astro acts as a trusted guide, and provides real-time insights and personalized recommendations to help users optimize their sites.”

With Astro, users will be able to query and perform different business and back-office tasks through conversational input.

Available now

In a press release shared with TechRadar Pro earlier this week, Wix explained the different capabilities of the business assistant, including data-driven insights and optimization (users can track their site’s performance and analyze visitor behavior), content creation (users can generate and manage blogs, media, email marketing, and social copy), business expansions (by adding new products, exploring dropshipping options, and more), and seamless subscription and permission management (users can manage premium plans, personalized recommendations, and more).

At first, the tool will be available for Wix and Wix Studio users in English, with a “gradual” rollout for other languages.

The company also said that Astro will be the first in a series of agents planned to be rolled out to Wix users, “setting the stage for enhanced productivity and providing more opportunities to monetize and grow their businesses.”

Wix has been adding AI assistants to different parts of its offering for a while now, including the AI theme assistant, a virtual agent for customers, and the Business Launcher.

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• QR code phishing is on the rise
• These attacks claimed over 1,300 victims in 2024
• Cybercriminals are disguising their QR codes as legitimate payment methods

A relatively new cyber threat, “Quishing”, or QR code phishing is claiming more victims in the UK than ever, with Action Fraud receiving 1,386 reports of incidents last year, a serious increase from 2019 where 100 attacks were recorded, the BBC reports.

These are especially prevalent in “contactless payment hotspots” like parking meters and restaurant menus, where criminals will stick their own malicious QR code over an existing legitimate QR code.

Victims of these scams are urged to scan a malicious QR code using their phones, and then redirected to websites controlled by criminals, and are prompted to hand over their financial information by a fake payment page, or malware is deployed to their device.

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Caution is key

These attacks are difficult to spot even after the fact, as criminals often take smaller amounts but more frequently, disguising the payments as legitimate-looking subscriptions or parking charges for example - which fly under the radar and aren’t always reported.

“QR codes were designed to make things more convenient but threat actors have taken advantage of this and cleverly made cloned and fake sites that look authentic at the end of a click,” comments Jake Moore, Global Cybersecurity advisor at ESET.

“QR scams can often be difficult to protect against as there is very little that immediately meets the eye to make the user aware of anything fraudulent. It can be difficult to tell these codes apart especially when the link that the QR code generates doesn’t look any different to what you may expect such as a parking payment website.”

As with all social engineering attacks, the key to staying safe is staying vigilant. Only scan QR codes you are 100% certain are safe, and never hand out your payment information to an unverified source.

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• Visual Suite 2.0 brings lots of new AI features to Canva
• Canva Sheets sits somewhere between a spreadsheet app and a project manager
• You can build your own custom, interactive mini-apps with Canva Code and Anthropic

In a bid to maintain its market share of the creative market amid increased pressure from Adobe, which has bid big on artificial intelligence, Canva has announced a series of upgrades to enhance worker efficiency.

With the Canva AI Assistant, users can generate images, copy and design ideas to set them off in the right direction, with document and mock-up creation handled by the assistant.

AI’s utility deepens with the launch of Canva Code, via a partnership with Claude-maker Anthropic, because users can also create their own min-apps like maps and calculators without extensive coding or development knowledge.

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Canva co-founder and CEO Melanie Perkins shared an overview of all the new features in a blog post, noting the company’s goal to make design “simple, joyful, collaborative, and truly accessible.” The self-proclaimed “biggest product launch yet” comes in the form of Visual Suite 2.0, which promises to bring together all use cases such as presentations, videos, whiteboards and websites into one new format.

Among the key launches is Canva Sheets, a new spreadsheet template that sits somewhere between being a conventional spreadsheet for quantitative data and a project management app. Magic Insights and Magic Formulas use AI to “do the heavy lifting for you,” and the integration with the rest of Visual Suite 2.0 makes it easy to link to other content.

Boasting about the more than 16 billion times users have access Canva Magic Studio, Perkins shared some other handy AI enhancements, such as a text-filling Magic Write tool and Magic Resize for creating images in different aspect ratios for social media campaigns.

Adding even more functionality into the creative suite, Canva Code allows users to use natural language prompts to describe ideas for interactive elements, which are then built automatically without the need for any hardcore programming.

Visual Suite 2.0 is now available to try from the Canva homepage.

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• ChatGPT's next big upgrade could arrive next week
• GPT-4.1 would be the successor to 4o
• Just yesterday, Sam Altman announced major memory upgrades coming to the chatbot

The next generation of OpenAI's GPT models could launch as soon as next week, with a new report hinting at the arrival of ChatGPT 4.1 to replace 4o.

An exclusive from The Verge reveals sources close to OpenAI have confirmed that the next major ChatGPT release is just around the corner. The report claims "one source describes [the new model] as a revamped version of OpenAI’s GPT-4o multimodal model."

The source claims OpenAI will launch "GPT-4.1 alongside smaller GPT-4.1 mini and nano versions as soon as next week." This release would mark a major step forward for ChatGPT.

Over the last few months, Google Gemini and DeepSeek have continuously improved, closing the gap with OpenAI's flagship model. You'd expect these new models to propel OpenAI back to the top spot.

AI engineer Tibor Blaho found code in the new ChatGPT web app version mentioning "o4-mini", "o4-mini-high" and "o3" which would imply the new GPT models are likely to arrive very soon.

Just yesterday, OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, announced major memory upgrades coming to ChatGPT which means the AI chatbot can remember every conversation it has with a user.

This upgrade, which is likely to be part of any new GPT means ChatGPT can now take that next step to becoming your personal assistant. Whether that's referencing previous conversations or the AI having full awareness of your past interactions, a new memory upgrade is a major improvement coming to ChatGPT.

we have greatly improved memory in chatgpt--it can now reference all your past conversations!this is a surprisingly great feature imo, and it points at something we are excited about: ai systems that get to know you over your life, and become extremely useful and personalized.April 10, 2025

What's in a name?

The name of the incoming update is not confirmed, although The Verge believes it will be called GPT 4.1.

If OpenAI goes down the 4.1 route, it will continue to make the AI giant's model naming scheme incredibly convoluted. At the end of last year, OpenAI mentioned that the company hoped to create an all-encompassing model in the future, which would not require the user to select between models.

If ChatGPT 4.1 releases next week, we'd really be hoping to see that all-encompassing model sooner rather than later, as trying to explain the differences between 4.1, 4.5, and o3 would start to get very complicated indeed.

Naming aside, a new OpenAI AI model is a huge deal, and if these sources are correct and we see a new launch in the next week or so, it could be another major step towards the AI future these tech CEOs are pursuing.

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• Microsoft’s published a new article featuring Windows 11 tips that doubles as a prod to upgrade to the newer OS
• The trouble is there’s a baffling selection of ‘strong’ points highlighted
• There are some good reasons to upgrade to Windows 11, but none of them are presented by this document

In case you hadn’t noticed (unlikely), Microsoft wants Windows 10 users to upgrade to Windows 11 – if it’s at all possible and their PC fulfils the spec requirements for the newer operating system – and we’ve just caught wind of another attempt to prod folks to make that leap.

This is a new article on Microsoft’s ‘Learning Center’ portal noticed by Neowin which is called ‘7 tips to get the most out of Windows 11,’ and is an effort to persuade Windows 10 holdouts.

Microsoft begins the piece: “So, you’ve heard the buzz about Windows 11, but is it worth the upgrade? From productivity tools to sleek designs, Windows 11 is packed with features that make your life easier. If you’re still on Windows 10, now’s a good time to make the switch – especially with support for Windows 10 ending in October 2025.”

Essentially, the idea appears to be that it’s a list of tips which double as strong points of Windows 11. So, buckle up, let’s take a look at this collection and see what we make of it.

The initial tip is to ‘Make the Start Menu your own’ and it points out that it’s easy to customize said menu. Microsoft informs us: “You can pin your favorite apps, rearrange tiles, or even resize the whole thing to suit your vibe.” You can indeed, but highlighting the Start menu is an odd choice here, seeing as it’s a piece of Windows 11 that a lot of folks aren’t that happy with for one reason or another.

Also, customization is relatively limited in some respects. For example, want to get rid of the ‘recommendations’ section? You can’t – but to be fair, this ability might be inbound in a major redesign for the Start menu, so Microsoft appears to be listening to feedback, thankfully.

Then we have a couple of tips for rather niche features. The second point is to use snap layouts, which consist of multiple apps ‘snapped’ or fitted neatly together to enable them to be viewed simultaneously across your monitor screen. They’re a nice idea, but really something that you’ll use, or you won’t – and there are a good many folks in the latter category. The third tip, to use virtual desktops to keep, say, your work life and personal desktop separate, is something that the majority of Windows users won’t ever go near.

Then we’re told widgets are great – hmm, some folks might enjoy them, but again, they’re more of a minority thing, albeit a feature Microsoft seems unhealthily obsessed with – and we’re reminded that you can use focus sessions for better productivity (once more, most people won’t, though).

Tip six points out that you can use Windows Hello for login (you can on Windows 10, too, though to be fair, the feature is enhanced on Windows 11), and Microsoft’s final tip is to use dark mode (again, this is present on Windows 10, albeit the implementation is better on the newer OS once more).

(Image credit: Shutterstock) Analysis: Some odd choices indeed

Overall, this represents an odd collection of tips and possible reasons to hop on the Windows 11 train. There are certainly more compelling arguments to take the plunge with Microsoft’s newest OS, including better security under-the-hood for starters, and smoother overall performance compared to Windows 10.

Indeed, there are some neat features for PC gamers, such as Auto HDR mode, or DirectStorage for speeding up games considerably (where it’s supported, and that’ll eventually be a much wider array of titles).

Or what about some of the great accessibility features that Windows 11 has introduced? Or the new AI features that’ve been drafted in (some of which are for Copilot+ PCs only, admittedly, but not all of them).

Microsoft’s article fails miserably in terms of the meat here to persuade people to pull the upgrade trigger, and even rather falls flat when it comes to pointing out the bits of Windows 11 that you really need to know about for those who’ve just installed the OS and need some initial tips to help find their way around.

Of course, with Windows 10’s End of Life now looming very large, you’re going to have to examine the realities of a Windows 11 upgrade before long, anyway – that or the alternatives such as paying to maintain Windows 10 support for another year through to October 2026.

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• Amazon sees itself as the world’s largest startup
• Aggressive AI investments are key to future growth
• CEO Andy Jassy continues to advocate for in-person working

Emphasizing how aggressive investments into artificial intelligence can realize long-term financial gains, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy noted in his most recent shareholder letter that the ecommerce and cloud computing giant intends to spend over $100 billion on capital expenditure in 2025, with most of it going to AWS AI projects.

He described the tech as a “once-in-a-lifetime reinvention of everything we know,” with promises to revolutionize everything from customer experiences to workplace productivity.

The letter came around two months after the company posted its fourth-quarter and year-end financial results for 2024, with total revenue up 11% year-over-year to $638 billion.

Andy Jassy believes aggressive AI investment is the best plan for the future

Jassy noted that the “rapid rate of change in technology, customer habits, and new products” makes it hard for Amazon to deliver year after year on its core goal: “to be Earth’s most customer-centric company.”

On a similar note to Shopify CEO Tobias Lutke’s recent comment about long-term learning, Jassy also advocated for leaders and workers to continue learning throughout their entire career.

It’s not just aggressive investments that liken Amazon to some startups – the CEO highlighted how organized chaos can also create a more innovative environment. “[Tolerate] messy meetings,” he said… “You can’t book 60 minutes to invent Amazon Prime, or AWS.”

Where Amazon might differ from smaller and more modern companies is in workforce agility and flexibility, because Amazon is notoriously pro-office-based working. In recent post-pandemic years, the company has pushed for a widespread return-to-office, and Jassy reiterated the purported increase in ad-hoc collaboration and brainstorming when workers are together.

As his letter draws to a close, Jassy highlights seven traits that make Amazon similar in nature to startups: a focus on solving a real customer problem or meaningfully improving a customer experience; a need for ‘builders’ who dissect and improve; a desire for ‘owners’ who take responsibility; speed; relative team leanness; a willingness to take risks; and a commitment to deliver results for customers.

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The promise of a lot what we currently call AI is that these tools can streamline some of the most tedious bits of life. They can summarize that meeting you missed without having to read a transcript or they can trim a video without you manually cutting every silent second. Adobe has taken that to the next stage with its new range of AI agent features.

Adobe’s new agentic AI actively takes on full tasks, not just bits of larger projects. It can suggest edits in Photoshop and make them happen with a click. The AI can analyze hours of raw video footage in Premiere Pro, then make a judgment call about the best clips, assemble a rough cut, and even make color corrections. The AI agents will build an animated flyer from scratch in Express and read your PDFs in Acrobat, highlighting what they believe matters. They will even use them to produce a full sales pitch.

The idea of delegating the mind-numbing roles to AI so you can focus on the parts that engage your mind creatively is appealing. Adobe isn’t wrong when it says this could significantly shift how people carry out these projects. But it's also a moment fraught with uncertain implications.

The more we let the AI handle the heavy lifting, the fewer hours we spend manually adjusting every image or organizing the minutes of every meeting, and the easier it becomes for those passing out those assignments to devalue the creativity underlying the toil.

It’s easy to tell ourselves we’re still in control. That we’re just tweaking what the machine gives us. But at some point, if all we’re doing is picking from drop-downs and nudging sliders, how much of the “creative” in the “creative process” is left?

Creative business

Adobe says this isn’t about replacing creativity but amplifying it. The AI isn’t the artist; it’s the assistant. And in many ways, that’s true. The AI doesn’t know your brand voice, your weird sense of humor, or your obsession with putting subtle frog references in every campaign.

It can’t feel the rush of a good idea or the gut instinct that something just works. It doesn’t daydream in the shower or scribble storyboards on napkins. It just calculates.

Artists, whether professional painters, commercial designers, or guerrilla documentarians, all understand that the AI's help is only as good as the human vision. Even so, there are plenty of people who would reason that if an AI can generate 10 polished options in seconds, then it's not worth paying a human to spend hours coming up with one that may not work out.

After all, why wrestle with structure, tone, or typography when your digital agent is happy to make those calls for you?

In a business context, speed and cost often win out. If the AI can generate something that’s “good enough,” will anyone fight for the slower, messier, more human-made alternative?

If a marketing department can produce entire campaigns in minutes that are on-brand, on-message, and 85% ready to go, how long before creative teams become more like editors, checking the machine’s work rather than making their own?

Uncertain visions

This isn't happening today or tomorrow or even next year. There are still a thousand tiny decisions that only a human can make, or at least make well. The inevitable mockery and outrage that greets attempts to delegate creative tasks to AI fully makes that clear.

Remember the ad Google had for the Olympics suggesting a little girl use AI to write a fan letter? There's a reason Google had to answer a lot of questions about the point of that ad. There’s still a soul in the work. But the slope is starting to feel a little slippery.

I don't claim to have all the solutions, but I do have a few ideas on how to think about AI's place among creative tools. I do think there's a place for it, but at the same time, the more people and companies that reserve space in a project for actual creative exploration, the better.

Related to that, talking about the value of AI is certainly worthwhile, but it shouldn't outweigh highlighting human creativity. AI might be 'good enough' almost always, but rough ideas, weird experiments, and even bad drafts are still worth making. Sometimes, they're the only things worth remembering.

Creative future

Adobe does seem to get this. They talk a lot about keeping the human in the loop in their announcement, about making the creator the director and the agent the crew. They describe how these tools are transparent, responsive, and in service of creative goals. And for now, that feels mostly true. You can reject suggestions. You can still do things the long way. You’re not being forced to hand over the reins.

It still feels like a potential cultural shift as much as a technological one. The future Adobe is working toward is one where creative professionals may be expected to do more, faster, with fewer people, by relying on agents that never sleep and don’t charge hourly rates. That’s great for productivity. Maybe less great for careers built on the slow, joyful chaos of making stuff.

Agentic AI is not the death of creativity, but it might constrain its presence without conscious effort. If we don’t pay attention and let speed and convenience dictate artistic efforts, creativity might become mostly a hobby and not something valued outside of that. If ideas come from prompts and output comes from agents, humans will mostly be there to sign off.

That doesn’t have to happen. These tools can be incredible if we use them intentionally. They can give beginners a head start and help pros focus on what matters most. They can democratize design and storytelling in ways we’ve never seen. I'm sure we can come up with all new ways for creativity to flourish beyond the reach of any AI if we use our imagination.

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• Google Docs is introducing a new Audio Overviews feature
• Audio Overviews can read your documents aloud or summarize them like a podcast
• The tool aims to help users improve their writing and enable multitasking

Reading your writing out loud is one of the best ways to discover any mistakes or awkwardness that could use some editing. But as the writer, you might have a blind spot for your own typos or be too close to what you wrote to note where it needs some rewriting (or outright cutting).

So, if you don't always have a friend on hand to help, Google will start jumping in with a new Audio Overview feature for Google Docs.

Audio Overviews are already a part of Google's NotebookLM platform. Now, Google is sending that “natural-sounding” narration to Google Docs to read your documents aloud.

The goal is for the user to hear Audio Overviews read a document back to you, uncovering every mistyped word and stilted phrase you didn't hear when you wrote it.

(Image credit: Google)

Google is also including a second option besides just getting an AI recitation. You'll be able to hear what the company calls a “podcast-style overview” of the text, meaning just a collection of the highlights instead of every single word. For texts that are more than a dozen pages long and full of research, that could be a big help.

Alas, this isn't the kind of podcast-style review available on NotebookLM, which will generate an actual conversation between two AI voices discussing everything you've uploaded.

Reciting AI

Google claims the voices will be indistinguishable from an actual human, and if it's the same AI voice model employed by NotebookLM, that's not far from the truth. Of course, mispronouncing words, especially proper nouns they haven't heard before, is a very human foible when reading out loud. Still, that might not matter much if it also catches your actual errors.

The feature also has a major accessibility benefit as AI voices reading text have been a boon for people with impaired sight or other reading difficulties. An upgraded, more natural-sounding voice to read Google Docs would only make text more accessible. Plus, it could help anyone who just has a lot going on. You could 'read' a long report while driving, folding laundry, or doing anything else that keeps your eyes busy.

This isn't a world-shaking feature, but it's the kind of quality-of-life improvement to a widely used product, Google Docs, that AI is uniquely suited to provide. It's hard to argue that using AI to enhance productivity software to make it more adaptive is unnecessary.

Anything to streamline how you polish your writing will be a draw. Not that Google is unique in this pursuit, though, as both Microsoft and Apple have been experimenting with similar AI augmentation of their word processors.

Even so, Google Docs is the go-to for millions of people, students, and professionals alike, and this move makes the product that much easier to stick with.

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• Dough Spectrum Canvas is an affordable alternative to Apple's Studio Display
• It is the display every Mac user has been waiting for
• The display offers a Mac-friendly design, tailored for creatives

For many Mac users, Apple’s Studio Display is a highly desirable product, but its steep price will have placed it out of reach for some potential buyers.

Tech start Dough is developing the Spectrum Canvas, an alternative to the Apple Studio Display, based on feedback from Mac users on r/Mac.

This device is a 32-inch 6K monitor aimed at creatives, remote workers, and professionals who want Apple-like quality without the premium price tag. The Canvas aims to strike a balance between visual fidelity, premium materials, and community-informed features.

6K display built with macOS in mind

At the heart of the Spectrum Canvas is LG’s 6K IPS Black panel, which was announced at CES 2025. It offers true 10-bit color, 98% DCI-P3 coverage, 218 PPI, a 2000:1 contrast ratio, and 99.5% AdobeRGB coverage.

The monitor also includes an ATW polarizer, which helps reduce IPS glow and improves color uniformity. With this level of performance, the Canvas is being positioned as one of the best 5K/8K monitor options available for modern Mac users.

In terms of design, the device features an anodized aluminum body, a die-cast stand, and solid cover glass on the front. The glass finish is glossy yet anti-reflective, avoiding the glare typically associated with glossy panels.

At the time of writing, some aspects of the monitor, such as power delivery specs, webcam options, speaker integration, and USB hub layout, are still under development. Instead of finalizing these decisions internally, Dough is involving its user community in the process. Those interested in contributing can join the company’s Reddit community.

For users searching for the best monitor for Mac Mini or the best monitor for MacBook Pro, the native 6K resolution and large format of the Spectrum Canvas promises to deliver a seamless experience across both everyday tasks and creative workflows.

As of now, Dough has not released official details regarding pricing or availability.

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